Project Summary - Administrative Core The Administrative Core provides leadership, long-term direction and financial management to allow the NORC to enhance the nutrition and obesity research of the exceptional Research Base at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). Two Co-Directors lead the NORC, Dr. Steven Zeisel and Dr. Elizabeth Mayer- Davis; both are experienced administrators, with more than 40 years (combined) of directing large research projects. The Administrative Core oversees all NORC Research Cores and ensures the coordination, integration, productivity, effectiveness and appropriateness of their activities. The Core leadership interacts with University administrators to create a rationale and enthusiasm that results in increased University support for nutrition and obesity research. The Core oversees the finances of the NORC and reports to the University and the National Institutes of Health. The Core recruits members for the Research Base and assures their membership eligibility. The Core manages strategic planning by the Internal Governance Committee and coordinates with the External Advisory Board. Housed within the Administrative Core are a Pilot and Feasibility Program (selects and funds promising young nutrition researchers), a Clinical Research Facilitation Program (provides services that enhance clinical nutrition research ), a Biostatistical Research Facilitation Program (provides assistance with data analysis), a Bioinformatics Research Facilitation Program (links members to experienced bioinformaticians) and a Metabolomics Research Facilitation Program (helps members identify appropriate experimental designs for metabolomics measurements and links members to experienced providers for these analyses), and an Enrichment Program (seminars, collaborative workshops).